How Gen Z Is Changing Office Work Wear

Her Style is THE fashion column for ambitious career women. Written by Niya Doyle, an editorial fellow for Her Agenda.

Do you remember when you secured your first big girl job? First came the excitement, then anxiety that you have nothing good to wear for the first day in office, followed by the frenzied rush of adding as much professional clothing as you can afford to your online cart.

It can be quite a transition to suddenly transform your wardrobe into clothing you may not normally wear, especially if you’re starting from zero.

“My personal style is a work in progress,”  said Lillian Syme, a 25-year-old professional baker turned Condé Nast intern. “My work clothes were T-shirts and cargo pants. I never really had to dress up for many things…it’s been inspiring seeing what people are wearing.”

But as ways of working have become more flexible this decade, so has the idea of professional clothing.  Gen Z is trading the stuffy black-and-white corporate color palette for vibrancy, and accessorizing is the name of the game. In corporate America, conformity is the safest option to assimilate into workplace culture, but establishing an identity can work to your advantage in the office. 

“My personal style is a little edgy, a little boyish sometimes,” said 29-year-old Veronica Irwin, an AI policy reporter. Veronica often travels to D.C for work, so her professional wardrobe is of utmost importance. For Veronica, wearing clothes with a bit of personality gives her something to look forward to. She favors wide-leg slacks, shorts, and boldly colored structured summer dresses in the heat. “I’m most comfortable in business wear…it’s fun to play a character for a day.”

Hair is another part of personal style that some like to have fun with. Brianna Flores, a 26-year-old administrative assistant, describes her style as a mix of “elegant chic, coquette, and elevated casual” and likes to wear headpieces that match her outfits. “My favorite color is pink, so I have pink kitten heels for work, soft pink blouses, button-down shirts,” said Brianna. “I always keep my hair done with either an at-home blowout or overnight curls. Each lasts me about three days, and I alternate between them.”

Style is something that evolves with us from age, to lifestyle, and our interests. Good style isn’t fixed; it’s a fluidity within us that we shape within our lifetime. So you don’t need to go to the nearest Banana Republic or Express and buy out the whole store. Finding ways to incorporate pieces you already wear into the office is now the coolest, most authentic trend of professionalism.